S&W M&P Pro CORE (Competition Optics Ready Equipment)

Smith & Wesson’s new M&P Pro CORE pistols feature a cut out slide which accepts optic mounting brackets. The pistol supports optics from Trijicon, C-More, Leupold, Docter, Insight and JPoint. This range of pistols is also the first to feature the new M&P textured back straps.

From the press release …

Engineered to accept six popular styles of competition based optics, the M&P C.O.R.E models are easily adapted to meet any demand.

At the foundation of the new M&P C.O.R.E. resides a specialized mounting platform on the slide of the pistol that can be conveniently changed to match the desired optic. Through the use of removable brackets, consumers are able to simply install the corresponding mounting screws to achieve the precise fit and height required. Designed to work in conjunction with the Trijicon RMR®, C-More STS, Leupold® DeltaPoint™, Docter, Insight® MRDS™ and JPoint™, the M&P C.O.R.E. offers quick and custom sight installation for the industry’s top aftermarket red-dot sight manufacturers.

The new M&P C.O.R.E. models will be available in both 9mm and .40 S&W with either a 4.25 or 5-inch barrel configuration. Engineered as a true competition platform, each model will retain original design features including a polymer frame with a through-hardened stainless steel slide and barrel, ambidextrous operating controls, striker fire action and Melonite® finish. For improved handling the M&P C.O.R.E. models feature a new textured interchangeable back strap with prominent stippling. Three patented palmswell grips are supplied with each pistol, providing shooters the ability to tailor the grip size to their personal preference.

Factory sights on every production polymer handgun are comparable. All the triggers run 5.5-6#, and the Apex parts are easy to drop in if that really bothers you. If not, the trigger pack will smooth up with a few thousand cycles anyhow, so just spend some time dry-firing.

I like this new option, and the only other thing I’d suggest is a threadded barrel for suppressor use, as many suppressor users also like the higher sights. Then it’d essentially be an FNP/X tactical… at half the price! (queue striker v. hammer-fired configuration in 3… 2…)

But the stock M&P -including sights- are among the best of any factory configuration polymer handgun. Performance is very comparable with Glock, Sig, FNH, H&K, etc. and a lot of folks use the M&P series to great effect.

thedonn007

With a threaded barrel this would be perfect for use with a suppressor. Will this be offered with a threaded barrel?

Erwos

You have read my mind, sir. A threaded barrel would make this a superb out of the box suppressor platform. Also wouldn’t mind night sights, if it was possible.

noob

I wonder if it is low enough to co-witness the optic red dot with a high set of nightsights?

Andrew

The Red-dot optic (whatever model it may be) negates the need for night sights… That is one of the many advantages.

If you look directly in front of the rear sight, there is a section of the slide that is milled out. it has a piece of ‘filler’ in there now, but what you do is unscrew that and you have a flat block of steel with (I am sure) numerous screw holes to mount a optical sight.

The great benefit to this is that 1) you do not lose your rear sights and 2) you can co-witness through the optic using your iron sights if the battery dies, etc.

ok i thought so, but i wasn’t sure. would the slide have any problems in holding zero versus being on the frame?

Big Red One – Ramadi

I’m beginning to find the marketing of new products with the use of acronyms very cheesy. Aimpoint PRO, mossberg mvp, Magpul “bad” lever, Leupold HAMR, S&W CORE, and hundreds more… Lame marketing. Just call it what it is without trying to make a catchy word out of it.

noob

It’s called a bacronym.

Marketing people get bored of their jobs too.

Matt

This is a brilliant move by S&W – no more hoping/trying to find the right gunsmith to experiment with a red dot sight.
The jury’s out on the usefulness/durability for a combat/duty gun, but for enthusiasts, should be great.

FormerSFMedic

@Matt Once the optics market starts building mini red dot sights that stand up to handgun recoil and are specifically sized for handguns we will start seeing this more and more on different guns. I think this is probably the future of handgun sights anyway so manufacturers are going to have to start building models like this to keep up.

Also, the jury isn’t out on the usefulness for these red dots on handguns for combat/duty use. Not trying to sound like a jerk but this setup has been used overseas and here at home with great success. The validity of red dot on the handgun has been proven and used on duty guns for many years now. The only thing stopping this from becoming the standard is the optics.

Matt

I’m thinking in terms of overall acceptance/necessity and some reports of durability concerns. Hilton Yam is on his third Trijicon RMR on one M&P9 – I don’t know if he’s had exceptionally bad luck, but if I were counting on a pistol with my life, I might find that worrisome.

noob

I wonder if there is a better place to mount the optics than the slide? There have been attempts to have a riser bracket come up from the frame, but those have been bendy.

If only there was a duty pistol that had some kind of rigid thing to mount the optics to which didn’t add too much bulk and didn’t batter the optic by reciprocating as much as the slide does with each shot.

If a pistol with a skeletonized slide and locking block like the M9’s barrel only moves much less than the slide does with each shot, would making optic mounting points on the barrel mean a) a solid mechanical relationship between optic and bore and b) less battering than attaching the optic to the slide?

being more streamlined of course. It is exciting to think about the possibility of handgun design theory being drastically changed from its current state, originally conceived from the day of the arquebus.

Nicks87

Hopefully Glock sees this and takes a hint. I would love to try a red dot on a Glock and I would rather have the factory do the cutting on the slide instead of a gunsmith who may or may not destroy my gun.

This idea is hardly new. S&W just incorporated all the great mods that Bowie Tactical Concepts has been doing for years to M&P’s, Glocks, and others. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. David mills the slide for the red dot of your choice, retains BUIS, performs the BEST grip reductions and stipling, applies the finish of your choice, etc. And if you like Apex triggers, you’ll love Bowie’s since Apex apparently “borrowed” the design as best I can tell. Best of all Bowie stands behind his work. You may have to wait, but the result is SWEET.

JD

Just nit picking, but the cursive writing looks stupid. The rear back strap looks like a home stippling job since it doesn’t match the pistol either. In all reality, I’m sure it will sell very well to the competition crowd.

W

I like the rear sight!

rear sights should be blocked like that so that you can conduct one handed reloads on your equipment or trousers.

Mike Knox

The firearms industry’s starting to go the same way as the automotive one. Change some components, and it’s a new product..

LJK

Is that really any different than with any other product, ever?

Josh

Wow S&W are ahead of the curve on this one. Good job guys. Red dots are just starting to move to pistols. Plus the new back strap with stippling. Damn i haven’t seen a gun company on the ball in a long time.

mike1956

Just starting? There are already thousands in existence, and have been around for years.

anon

Actually, S&W are following FN’s lead. This new feature is copied directly from the FNX-45 Tactical.

matt

The FNX-45 Tactical isnt for sale yet. I think youre referring to the FNP45- Tactical.

George

I dont see why – realistically the only thing you need to be concerned with are loose screws and recoil. Any decent firearm is going to have close enough tolerances so that the frame locks up exactly the same way every time. Any variance would be somewhere on the level of .001″ or some tiny amount. I suppose at 1000 yards this could be an issue between a bullseye and the 8 ring, but with a pistol it is a non-issue.

Also, your iron sights aren’t located on the frame, and no one has complained about that in over a hundred years 🙂

I’ve had a C.O.R.E M&P 9L for 3 months now and really love it. I put the JPoint RDS on it and it works well. It was also one of the only sights of the six that are pre set up for the gun(included base plates for six brands) that didn’t have an on/off button that would be right in front of the rear sight making it hard to operate. Also, the the lowest cost. The 4 MOA is easy to co-aquire with the suppresor sights. I have shot 500 rds with no issues. I’m a function over form guy, but this pistol really shines in both. The RDS is really a great addition to function and builds confidence in shooting. Even at night, if you can see it, you can put the dot on it. I can see more and more pistol owners wanting this option as it becomes cheaper(factory pre-set) and more available.